Suspect in death of 61-year-old Filipino security guard pleads not guilty

Cardell Coleman pleaded not guilty this morning to murder charges in the shooting death of 61-year-old Fil-Am security guard Rolando Romero.

On July 2nd, Romero, a resident of Hayward, California, was working the night shift as part of a private security team guarding the Alice Griffith housing development in San Francisco’s Bayview neighborhood.

According to family members, Romero was guarding this housing development while FaceTiming his wife in the philippines in the early morning of July 2nd. It was then that he felt what he thought was a gunshot and called 911. When authorities found him suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, he was taken to a nearby hospital, where he died of his injuries.”

On July 3rd, authorities arrested 24 year old Coleman in connection to the crime.

Police say they utilized surveillance technology from the crime scene to identify the suspect, who is now being held in county jail without bail on murder charges.

“No one deserves to die like this, and we just want the word out there that hopefully gets him some help so they can bring him home,” said Tracy McCray.

While there is no known motivation at this time, Coleman’s father told the media that his son was not in the right state of mind during the incident. Coleman is expected to return again to court on July 24th.

In a phone conversation, Romero’s sister, Evangeline Romero Cruz told BA that she is seeking justice for her brother’s death. A resident of Connecticut, she quickly flew over to California to make arrangements for her slain brother.

Fundraising efforts are now underway to repatriate Romero’s body back to the Philippines. The San Francisco police officers association also donated a thousand dollars to Romero’s fundraiser.

A viewing for Romero has been set for this Friday and Saturday in Santa Clara, CA, before his remains are brought to the Philippines, back to his wife, 2 children, and grandchild.

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